Chapter Ten

Anne did however observe the Captain as he spoke to Louisa.

Indeed, she found she could not tear her eyes away from them. She tried hard to read their faces, but neither were giving much away and she was forced to concentrate her mind on the conversation she was sharing with Mrs Musgrove and Sophia Croft. By the time Mrs Musgrove had finished telling them all about Henrietta's engagement to Mr Charles Hayter, and had moved away to speak to Mary, and Anne was once again able to look over at the couple sat so close together in the corner of the room, she was devastated to find Louisa openly laughing at something Captain Wentworth had said to her. Anne felt the sharp pain as her heart broke all over again.

So he had chosen.

He might have loved her once, he may still have feelings for her now, but they were of a friendly protective affection. He wanted to look after her, not marry her. She felt her face fall and had not the energy nor the inclination, to conjure up a smile for her remaining companion. She was suddenly very tired, as if the events of the past two days had caught up with her all at once and she wanted nothing more than to retire to her bed, where she needed not have to witness the pretty smiles of a younger, more amiable lady, or have to sit and watch while the man she had once dreamed of as her husband, charm another into becoming his wife.

Sophia saw the expression on her friend's face and immediately her suspicions were raised. She had wondered about the true nature of Miss Anne's friendship with her brother, and why the level of that friendship seemed to rise and dip in such strange bursts. One minute they were the best of friends, almost behaving like an old married couple, and the next, they could barely face being in each other's company. The look on Anne's face just then, was one she had had the misfortune to observe before, in other young ladies of her acquaintance, it was the look of unrequited love, the thing most shocking to Sophia Croft, was that it appeared to be directed at her brother. Unlike Anne, Sophia had had the opportunity to keep a watchful eye on the other couple as they had been sat together huddled in a private conversation. She knew her observations and her knowledge of her brother, could put Anne's mind at rest and so she wasted no time in doing so. She shuffled closer to her, enabling them to talk without being overheard. "You missed it." she said simply.

Anne's brow furrowed and she looked at her puzzled. "Missed what Mrs Croft?"

"The moment when my brother told your young friend he could not marry her."

Anne opened her mouth and closed it again, there were no words. "How do you know?"

"How do I know what? That he is not in love with her? Or are you asking how do I know that he is in love with another?" she let her gaze linger on Anne for a fraction longer than necessary and long enough to cause Anne to become quiet uncomfortable.

"Mrs Croft-" Anne began.

"Sophia, please."

"Sophia, although I do not claim to know whom you are referring to, or in fact anything regarding the workings of your brother's mind, let alone his heart, I should very much like to know how you are so certain that is the nature of their conversation when we are so far away. You cannot possibly be correct, look how she laughs, with him, surely she would not wish to be in his company had he just told her the very thing you believe he has."

"I saw her face when he told her. She may laugh now, but that is just one of the many charms of my brother, it is the strength of his character, rather than hers. He will have left her feeling she is much too good for him and that she could not possibly be happy with someone as lowly as he. She will come away the better for knowing him. She no doubt enjoyed her first brush with love and will come out the other side a wiser woman."

Anne looked at them again trying hard to see what it was that was obviously so plain to Mrs Croft and yet hidden from her own eyes. She screwed up her face in doubt, "You are sure?"

"I am." replied Sophia resolutely. Anne exhaled loudly in relief and then clasped her hand to her mouth in effort to hide it, mortified that she should find so much comfort in another's loss. A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly, hoping no one had witnessed her emotional response. Sophia pretended to act with indifference and continued their conversation as if Anne had remained poised by her side. "I believe that if he had married Louisa, it would have been that alliance which would have been unwanted and forced," Anne almost gasped again in shock, Frederick must have told his sister some, if not all, of their conversations from last night. "It is clear to me she is not his choice for a wife."

Anne did not have time to further question the woman, before it was announced that the Musgrove's were ready to call it a night and return home. Their guests removed, leaving only the four of them again.

"Well that was a capital evening, and it is still early, which means we shall be in bed early also, and able to rise as normal in the morning, all in all a good night." chuckled the Admiral as he laid back in his chair his arms crossed over his stomach and shut his eyes. Sophia was quick to scold her husband for his lack of manners in front of Anne.

"Oh please do not admonish the Admiral on my account." said Anne. "I believe I am of the same opinion." She flopped back in her favourite chair and closed her eyes much in the same way as the Admiral.

Frederick could not help but marvel at the ease at which she felt around his family, and them around her.

"The best company are the friends with whom you can spend an enjoyable evening, but who know when it is time to put an end to that evening and return home." Finished the Admiral.

"Admiral!" Sophia exclaimed, ashamed at her husband's behaviour.

However, the other three were too busy laughing to hear her. Once the laughter had ceased and they had lapsed into an easy silence, Anne opened her eyes and looked around the room only to find Fredericks eyes on her once again, they exchanged a glance, a look so reminiscent of their past, it left them both blushing. Sophia caught the exchange and smiled to herself, it was just as she had imagined and hoped. She had been more than a little surprised to learn her brother and the lovely Miss Anne had known each other years before. The indifferent way he had acted towards her, and how Anne had made no effort to even speak to Frederick, had left her thinking they genuinely did not care for one another, even on the loosest friendliest of terms. She asked herself the same question she had been asking all day: Just what had occurred last night to bring about this change? She knew without doubt, it could be nothing unsavoury, she trusted her brother implicitly and knew from reputation Anne was the perfect lady. But something … something had shifted.

She shook her head trying to clear it and make sense of everything, and failed. Instead she found her eyes landing on something she had all but forgotten in the midst of the chaos since she was first notified of her brother's disappearance. "Frederick a letter came for you yesterday, but obviously, I was unable to give it to you then." She left her seat, walked over to the side board and retrieved the letter. When she passed it to her brother, she did not fail to notice the way in which Anne eyed it and him inquisitively. He read a few lines and broke out in a wide smile. "Who is it who pleases you so brother? Is it perhaps a letter of love?" she teased him just as an older sister could, when she caught Anne's reaction; her eyes were wide open and she stared at the letter, her face full of anguish. So there were definitely feelings there, and deep ones at that. This should be very interesting.

Frederick had taken notice too, and addressing Anne above the others, laughed and said. "Hardly Sophie, it is from Harville, my old friend." He risked a half smile at Anne trying to reassure her and was rewarded with a blush. He looked back at his sister. "You remember him, do you not?"

Sophia nodded and smiled as Anne's faced filled with relief. "What does he say?"

"He is inviting me to Lyme. He has settled there with his family for the winter and has another of my fellow officers staying with him – Captain Benwick."

The Admiral opened his eyes apparently now interested in the conversation particularly when it was anything concerning the Navy. "Benwick? Isn't he the one-"

Frederick frowned before nodding to his brother. "Yes, he was engaged to Harville's sister Fanny, they put off a marriage until he had money and position to keep her and a family, but alas when he had all that he deserved and he was ready to return home to claim her hand, he was given the news she had died, before he made her his wife."

Frederick repeated the story more for Anne's benefit than his family, as they were already aware. Neither they, nor Anne, would be made aware though, of how he had been the one to deliver such news to his poor friend. Or how he had felt a share in the heartbreak. At that moment when, as he watched his friend; a brave man, collapse before him, crushed and distraught, he had been so close to returning to Anne. To wanting to be with her and make her his wife without a moment to lose, but instead he had let his friend tell stories of his beloved late into the night, until the dawn broke and Frederick had realised that time -their time- had passed.

"Damn shame." The Admiral commented shaking his head, interrupting Frederick's melancholy.

Anne felt the tears in her eyes and could not risk looking at Frederick for fear that they should fall.

"It should be a lesson to all," Sophia broke the silence, "That this life is short indeed, and we should grasp happiness when we have the chance." Anne's head snapped up to face her friend. Sophia smiled at her and yawned, "Well, I do believe Admiral I shall be retiring, how about you my dear?"

"Yes, yes it is getting late, let us to bed." He glanced at the other two, and at his wife for confirmation they could be left alone. Sophia only shrugged and beckoned for him to join her. They had spent an entire night together alone in a darkened room, it seemed they hardly needed chaperoning now. Believing she always knew best, Admiral Croft followed his wife and left them to it.

Frederick and Anne sat in silence for a long time, before Anne abruptly stood to her feet. He stood with her in the way a gentleman did, but she wafted him off gesturing for him to remain seated, "I think I'll retire also. I am suddenly very tired." She explained. But as she said it, her eyes were bright and alert and she rung her hands anxiously in front of her, contradicting herself.

"I have settled things with Miss Louisa." Frederick blurted out. Anne stopped walking and faced him. "She and I are to remain friends, but nothing more."

Anne tried hard to keep herself from smiling at his confirmation, and simply nodded before making for the door again.

"I would like for you to meet Mr and Mrs Harville." Frederick said quietly.

"Excuse me?" She whirled around to face him.

"They are great friends of mine, he is one of only two people I ever confided in about … our past. He has asked of you occasionally, he has mentioned you in this letter." He held it out towards her, but she did not wish to read those words. "That is why he wishes for me to visit, he wants to know how I have coped being near to you again." he chuckled dryly.

"He put all of that in the letter?"

"No." he chuckled again. "But it is what he is implying, I know him. I would like to know your opinion of him. Would you meet them, one day?"

Her hands stopped and she took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. "Yes, I should like that, to meet some of your friends. People who have known you while we were…" she trailed off unable to finish.

"Good. Goodnight Miss Anne."

"Goodnight Frederick."

She was out of the room before either of them realised her mistake.